The body that represents pubs in Dublin has said they will “reject any move” that would see only fully vaccinated people drink indoors.
They have said the proposal from NPHET is “ridiculous” and “unworkable.”
It comes as Cabinet is set to announce postponing the reopening of indoor hospitality in pubs and restaurants until July 19, which could allow time for a vaccine cert system to be determined to allow fully vaccinated people to eat and drink indoors.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin is set to make an announcement before 2pm.
NPHET has proposed that only fully vaccinated people can be permitted to eat and dine indoors as fears grow over the Delta variant.
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) has said “any such system would put every pub, restaurant and café in the country in an impossible position and would also lead to unvaccinated staff being charged with having to police who can and can’t enter their premises.”
The LVA has said in light of ongoing concerns around the Delta variant and in the interests of public health, they are proposing that the reopening of indoor hospitality should be delayed until July 19 to allow for those in the 60-69 year demographic to receive additional vaccines.
CEO of the LVA Donall O’Keeffe slammed NPHET and said they have “lost the run of themselves and possibly the entire country this time.”
He said: “It is completely bizarre that they would introduce such a system this late and basically try to panic the entire country into accepting a process that would create a two tier society.
“We can see that hotels across the country are operating at full capacity for indoor service since June 2, that indoor service is permitted across the border and in every other EU state.
“It is insane to contemplate that international travel would be permitted and yet indoor hospitality would not be allowed for all customers.
“Why is Irish hospitality being treated so differently?”
The CEO of the Vintners Association of Ireland (VFI) - the body which represents pubs outside of Dublin has said there is huge anger across the sector that the 5 July reopening of indoor dining would be delayed.
Padraig Cribben said: "What we are seeing here is what I would term a NPHET variant, which is being facilitated by a government that is either incapable or unwilling to do what it is elected to do and take balanced decisions.
Mr Cribben added that proposals to allow only vaccinated people to use indoor dining and pubs would lead to "increased stress, anxiety and cost for a sector that is already on its knees.”
While the Restaurant Association of Ireland has said the sector is “astounded and angered” by a further delay and said the proposal to only allow vaccinated customers dine indoors is “flawed, unworkable, discriminatory and currently illegal.”
CEO Adrian Cummins said: “The hospitality sector contains a diverse range of workers by age with front of house mostly the unvaccinated age groups, who will now be asked to refuse access to their peers?
“This makes no sense and will restrict indoor dining to those in the 40 – 60 age groups who are fully vaccinated whilst the hotel across the street has families and guests dining indoor since 2nd June.”
